About BORN

Ontario is increasing its capacity to plan and deliver maternal-child services through the Better Outcomes Registry & Network Ontario (BORN Ontario - previously the Ontario Perinatal Surveillance System - OPSS). 

With a vision of providing the knowledge needed for The best possible beginnings for lifelong health, the mission of BORN is to:

• Facilitate and improve care for mothers, children and youth by linking information and providers to address care gaps spanning the spectrum from normal to high acuity and rare conditions
• Be an authoritative source of accurate, trusted and timely information to monitor, evaluate and plan for the best possible beginnings for life-long health
• Provide scientific and technical leadership for Ontario’s maternal, child and youth health system through the support of research and innovation 
• Mobilize information and expertise to optimize care and contribute to a high-performing healthcare system, improving the lives of individual mothers and children

The five founding members of BORN (Ontario Maternal Multiple Marker Screening, Fetal Alert Network, Ontario Midwifery Program, Niday Perinatal Database and Newborn Screening Ontario) are integrating their data into one accurate and timely maternal-child registry to form the authoritative information system needed to realize BORN Ontario’s vision.

The information gathered will support the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MoHLTC), the Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health (PCMCH), Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and Public Health Units of Ontario in measuring maternal-child health status and outcomes, developing responsive health policies and improving evaluation and accountability.  Hospitals and midwifery groups, as well as Provincial Screening Programs, will leverage the information for planning, monitoring, performance management and quality improvement.  Healthcare providers and women and families will be supported as BORN helps ensure individuals have been offered all of the resources available to them across the maternal/newborn care continuum.  Finally, BORN will contribute to hypothesis-generating research and innovation.

By providing high quality evidence for providers, policy makers and researchers in the province, BORN facilitates and improves the provision of health care to the maternal-fetal and child populations throughout the province. In keeping with the areas of expertise of the founding members, BORN Ontario is currently focused on Maternal Newborn Outcomes / Midwifery, Congenital Anomalies Surveillance, Neonatal Screening, and Prenatal Screening, and committees are now being struck to advise BORN on its activities in these areas.